A Life
by no1needs2no
Summary: There was a war. Two sides, deaths, villains, criminals, trials, love, battles, and babies. A man became a spy and a guardian, and a baby became famous. They have a long road ahead of them, and it'll take courage, wit, cunning, and loyalty for them to overcome the challenges that will come their way.


**I don't own Harry Potter: the books, the movies, etc. I own this plot.  
Elements of **_**that**_** story will appear, but **_**this**_** Harry Potter is different from **_**that**_** Harry Potter. And by **_**that**_**, I mean the one written by J.K. Rowling.  
This is a femHarry story, and there isn't any character meant to be her love interest…yet.  
Note: This story begins before James and Lily Potter's death. Parts of the book may concur, and some parts may be similar however there are differences.**

* * *

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore looked at the two couples in front of his desk, the twinkle in his eyes shining brightly. He smiled. "Well boys, how does it feel to almost be a father?"

James Potter ran a hand through his dark hair, further messing up the already disarrayed locks. He let out a shaky laugh as he answered, "To be honest, Albus I'm terrified."

Once James's words registered, Frank Longbottom's face changed into great relief that bordered on comical as he said. "Oh thank merlin I'm not the only one. Being a father is going to be one tough mission."

"Honestly Frank." Alice Longbottom chided, although she was smiling.

Lily Potter covered one of her husband's hands with both of hers. She smiled at him, and said, "I know you'll be a wonderful father, James."

Dumbledore smiled at the love that was reciprocated on James's face as he gazed at his wife. James Potter was a handsome, tall, and fit dark-haired man who wore circular glasses, and while he was still loud and a lover of pranks, he had changed from the youth that had walked the halls of Hogwarts. The boy had grown up, and was now the man that sat before him. He had changed from being a popular adolescent prankster into one of the Order of Phoenix's best fighters. He was a valuable man in these dark times.

Lily Potter, once known as Lily Evans, was a wonderful woman and just as valuable a member in the Order as her husband. She had pale skin that accented long red hair and the loveliest green eyes. Despite her sweet appearance, it was quite known that she was an intelligent and fierce woman who spoke her mind and had a knack for charms. Filius Flitwick swore that she was one of the most gifted pupils he had ever taught. Although every motion was vibrant and happiness shined from their face, there was an underline of sorrow and wariness in Lily and James. The war had taken its toll on many, and unfortunately these two were no exceptions.

Dumbledore turned his attention to the Longbottoms. They were a duo of highly respected Aurors, which was not surprising given their achievements. Alice and Lily were good friends, and evidently being with child had brought them closer than before. Dumbledore's smile dimmed slightly, when he looked at the couples before him and the knowledge that he held had never seemed more untimely and unsettling.

"James, Lily, Alice, Frank," Dumbledore said solemnly.

All four straightened and their gazes hardened, prepared for the news that would no doubt be bad, judging by Dumbledore's tone.

"I believe that there is a way for us to win the war."

Lily and Alice gasped. Frank slowly blinked at the elderly headmaster as though he had just spoken in Gobbledegook. It was James, who burst, "What is it?"

"There is a prophecy," Dumbledore said carefully. "It tells about how there is a wizard, who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort."

He got up, and walked past the two couples to the black cabinet that stood behind Fawkes's perch. Strangely, the phoenix was not in the room. When he straightened himself and turned around to walk back to his desk, a shallow stone basin carved with runes around the edges in his hands. He settled it on his desk carefully. Taking out his wand, he raised it to his temple.

He withdrew mild illuminated silver-tinted strands and deposited them in the Pensieve. After the last of the strands detached themselves, Dumbledore walked past his desk until he sat in his chair once more. He nodded at the Pensieve. "Jab the Pensieve with your wand, and you'll be able to see the entire wording of the prophecy."

The Potters and Longbottoms exchanged glances, and almost as one they stood up and walked towards the desk. James took out his wand and prodded the silvery substance. They each drew closer to the Pensieve and were sucked it to the memory. After things had settled down and they had checked if the soon-to-be mothers and babies were fine—the reactions of pregnant women who used a Pensieve varied—they watched as the memory played. The setting was of a rather dingy building. Dumbledore was sitting across from someone. The lack of lighting made it difficult to identify the person immediately.

The figure was draped with shawls. If the figure were not breathing, they would have thought it was just a strange bundle of well-used shawls. Fortunately, the head of this figure moved into the light, giving the wizards and witches a respectable view of the face. With a start, they realized that it was Sibyll Trelawney, the new Divination professor. Unlike the overly dramatic and whimsical tone they had heard from her before, the voice was harsh and hoarse.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark the child as his equal, but the child will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

After the last word was said, Professor Trelawney sank back into her seat, her head down. When her mind cleared, she looked up with no hint of what just come out of her mouth. She asked the headmaster what he had said as the she was distracted by something and missed their last bits of their conversation. With a twinkle in his eyes, Dumbledore offered her the job. The couples left the memory as Trelawney accepted the job and repeatedly thanked the headmaster with compliments about his 'inner eye' and wisdom, and turned their attention to Dumbledore, faces pale.

"I don't understand, Albus." Frank said shaking his head. "Why did you show this to us?"

"It's because, the one who could defeat Voldemort is either my child or yours, Frank." Lily said softly.

"That is correct." Dumbledore nodded, "I was very surprised, when you two told me that you were both expecting. It was very startling to discover that two couples, whom had both defied Lord Voldemort three times, were both graced with child."

The amount of times the Potters and the Longbottoms had escaped from Voldemort's clutches weren't a secret. All the people in the Order of the Phoenix knew it and they subtly spread word of it within the group and a few others, to encourage people (including the magical creatures not allied with the Dark Lord) to keep fighting against him. This circulation of information also helped cause some of the neutrals from joining either side of the war.

Many of the other members of the organization took to informing the wizards and witches from Hogsmeade to the rest of Britain, who were in or leaning towards the side that was against Voldemort. Some took to informing the other countries. Rubeus Hagrid did his best to keep the magical creatures informed even if some of them didn't particularly want it. Mundungus Fletcher was one of few who gained and spread information to the shadier places.

"How will we know which child will be the one to defeat Voldemort?" Alice wrapped her hands around her stomach as though that would keep her baby safe from dangers that come and may act on the little life once it breathed into this word. Frank drew his wife closer to him, trying to ease her distress. James was doing the same to Lily as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. Even if the child had a chance to defeat the Dark Lord, there was also the chance of the Dark Lord killing the child, first. Alice and Lily were rocked to the core at the notion that one of their babies will die by the hands of the Dark Lord or one of them will defeat the Dark Lord, a man that even gave Dumbledore a difficult time in battle.

"How far along are you, Lily?"

Lily licked her suddenly dry mouth, before she answered Dumbledore's question. "I'm on my fifteenth week."

Alice couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her mouth. She turned her head, so only half her face was facing the room and the other half was pressing against Frank's chest. It was Frank who spoke in the silence. "Alice is the same."

"I see." Albus sighed. "I had hoped that we would be able to identify the child of the prophecy though that method, but oh well, no harm has actually been done."

He looked at Alice and Frank over his half-moon spectacles as he clasped his hands. "Voldemort will either target the child who will be a pure-blood, which according to his claims is the only type of people that are worth being or knowing." He turned his gaze to Lily and James. "Or the child, who will be a half-blood like himself. What do you believe he will—"

Frank exclaimed, "He's a half-blood?"

"How is it that he knows about the prophecy?" James asked at the same time.

"Voldemort's mother was a witch named Merope Gaunt and a muggle named Tom Riddle was his father." Albus frowned at James who was fuming, "James, calm yourself."

"Albus," James said his voice carried the fury in him. "The only reason for Voldemort to suddenly increase the number of bastards aiming for the lives of me, Frank and our respective families, would be that he knows the prophecy. Now, I want to know how in the bloody hell, did that monster learn of that prophecy. We deserve to know why we were told to move sooner than before, Albus."

"James," Lily said before James could speak any further. James looked at his wife's beseeching eyes and visibly controlled himself, although it was obvious that anger was just below the surface. Lily turned her head towards Dumbledore and said. "Why are you so certain that Voldemort will target my child or Alice's? How could he have known?"

Before Dumbledore could respond he felt the wards around his office be disturbed by someone else's magic attempting to force their way in through the gargoyle. He placed a finger against his lips, and the four younger adults hushed themselves, each with their wands out and their eyes watching for the slightest hint of the disturbance. Dumbledore tried to identify the person who was attacking the wards and demanding that they let him enter.

He murmured a spell. The others could not hear the entire wording, and what little they did hear didn't make much sense, and so they had no idea what the spell would do. If was from sincere loyalty and trust towards the aged, yet powerful headmaster that they didn't question the spell. As magic took effect, they prepared to cover for each other and watched for signs of danger.

For a moment there was just the image of his office with four of his former students, and then the image slowly grew fainter in color and light, until only a type of light lingered covering all of what he was seeing. Gradually, colors and shapes took the form of a new appearance. On the front steps of the entrance to the headmaster's office, was a student whom had been the victim of one too many pranks performed by a group of four fun-loving and ingenious, if also somewhat vicious boys who called themselves the Marauders. Looking around the man, Dumbledore saw no one else.

Dumbledore mentally patted himself at the back, for managing to learn this spell. A headmaster many years before him had managed to tie a spell to Hogwarts wards, allowing all headmasters who were approved by the majority of all the portraits in the headmaster office – they would lead the headmaster to the location of the guardian of the spell if he wished to learned it – and was powerful enough to learn it, to be able to see through the eyes of any stone creations that resided in Hogwarts. To test his worth, the headmaster would have to place a black hat not unlike the Sorting Hat on his head and wait for it to examine his heart, body, and magic before giving its decision on whether it would reveal the journal containing the spell. He was not certain what happened to the headmasters or headmistresses, who were approved by the portraits, yet didn't pass the test, but he suspected that those unfortunate wizards or witches were _obliviated_.

Albus carefully extracted himself from the gargoyle. When he blinked, he found himself being watched by the Longbottoms and the Potters. To those watching the headmaster when he was using the spell, it looked as though he was staring into the room, his eyes blank and empty but a type of shininess in them that hurt if they focused on it for too long. He stood up, and said. "Do not be alarmed by who comes in. It is only Severus and I believe he has come alone."

"Snape," James spat with a snarl on his face. Lily frowned at James, who pretended that he didn't notice as he said. "Seeing as he's right in our reach, I say we capture that bastard and squeeze all the information he has on Voldemort and the Death Eaters out of him."

"James." Lily hissed at her husband, her eyes flashing. "You will not hurt him."

Severus and she had never really settled after she refused his apology in their fifth year. It made her uncomfortable every time she thought about it. Part of her was torn to forgive him and reluctant to hurt him, while another part wanted to continue to fight him, make him regret siding with Mulciber and the rest of the Death Eater lot.

James scowled but after looking into Lily's eyes, his said gruffly. "Fine but we are not leaving, and if that greasy-haired bat raises his wand I'm going to send spells at him."

"James…"

"He could hurt us, Lily!"

Dumbledore said. "If you insist on staying, then please cast a spell to make yourself unnoticeable."

James reached into the pocket in his robes and pulled out a shimmery cloak. He nudged Lily to move, and together they moved to a spot in the room, where they would be able to have a clear view of Severus and Dumbledore's interaction. Before James covered them with the cloak, Lily saw Frank and Alice casting the disillusionment charm and Dumbledore walking towards the door.

Once Dumbledore opened the door, he disappeared through the opening. While the headmaster was gone, James and Lily shifted and rustled themselves so they would be saved from the numbness brought by standing at one place without moving for an extensive amount of time and be ready for any possible hexes or curses. They had just finished getting settled, when Dumbledore re-entered the room followed by Severus Snape.

Snape walked into the room listlessly, yet his grip on his wand was tight and his knuckles were white. After the door shut, and there was some distance between him and Dumbledore, a sharp, blinding ball of white light sprang from Dumbledore's direction flying towards Snape. The light attacked the hand holding his wand, and Snape went down on his knees as his wand went soaring away. His hair fell over his face, masking his expression. When he looked up at Dumbledore, instead of the sneering face James expected or the hard, neutral face Lily expected Snape looked up with raw fear and anguish on his face.

Lily was so shocked by her ex-best friend's expression, that she took a small towards him before remembering the cloak. There were dark circles under his eyes as though he had not slept in a while. His face had a grayish tint and his eyes were wide and filled with anxiety. His hair was unwashed and ruffled. Even James looked at Snape, his enemy, with puzzlement as though by being his enemy he should look mad or wicked, not like an ordinary wizard filled with paranoia and fear.

"Don't kill me!"

"I did not plan to."

Albus looked like the powerful wizard he was, instead of the gentle understanding elderly man he normally portrayed. The twinkle often in his eyes was gone and his voice was unusually stern and harsh.

"What message does Voldemort have for me, Severus?"

Snape flinched at the name. "There is no message from the Dark Lord. I have not been asked or ordered to come here. I have come here by myself under my will."

"Then why are you here?"

Snape swallowed before he said, "I – I have come with a warning, no a request —"

"Out with it, Severus," Dumbledore waved his wand, and Snape's wand flew to his hands. He eyed Severus. "What would a Death Eater make of me?"

"The – the prophecy…Trelawney…"

"Ah," Dumbledore settled Snape's wand on his desk. He asked. "How much did you hear that night? Before you were caught and kicked out?"

Without waiting for an answer, Dumbledore looked straight into Snape's eyes, "did you hear enough to inform Voldemort?"

Snape flinched as though he had been struck. He swallowed, before he spoke in a barely audible voice. "Yes."

"I see." Dumbledore stroked his beard. He looked out his window without sparing Snape another glance.

As the silence stretched, Snape grew more and more agitated. Finally, he exploded in a frantic rush. "I told him everything I heard! That is why – it is because of that – he believes it means Lily! Lily Evans!"

"The prophecy does not refer to a woman. It only spoke of a child born at the end of July."

"You know what I mean! I know she is with Potter's child! If I know, then you can assume the rest know. He plans to hunt them down, and then kill them!"

"I do not see how this concerns you." Dumbledore looked at Snape over his glasses. "I understand you had once been her friend. However that ship has sailed long ago. Tell me, why you have come here and told me this."

Snape looked away from Dumbledore, his eyes on the ground unable to handle how the headmaster's eyes seemed to see him. At the floor, he said. "It does not matter. Only that you protect her."

"But it does matter." Dumbledore walked towards Snape until he towered right over him. "Why should you warn me about the safety of a friend whom you tossed aside?"

Severus looked up. "I — I made a mistake."

"It was not a simple mistake, otherwise why have you been tormenting yourself about the matter even to this day?" Dumbledore leaned closer to Snape. "Severus, I believe you know why Voldemort targeting Lily and her family disturbs you. I believe that you know that the answer to that question is the same answer as to why that incident in your fifth year continues to haunt you. You love her."

Severus shook his gaze away from Dumbledore's all too seeing eyes. The silence in the room seemed to weigh more heavily than before. Lily looked at her old childhood friend with shock, one hand covering her mouth. For a moment, she felt like she wasn't breathing. She was too slow to stop James from flinging the cloak away and caused his wand to release a burst of white light.

Dumbledore swiftly waved his wand, "_Protego!_"

James's spell landed on the magical shield, and Snape was unharmed if agitated and furious. He sneered at James, his face daunting. Snape stood up, the state of his emotions and mind, be damned. He would not kneel in front of James (full name) Potter!

"Potter," spat Snape.

James growled, "Snivellus."

Before James could send another spell, Lily aimed her wand at him and said. "_Petrificus Totalus_."

Lily could see her husband's anger in his eyes, so she glared back at him and he seemed to shrink a little even in his frozen state. Lily turned her head and saw Frank and Alice, who were visible and their wands ready. She nodded at them, before turning her attention to Snape.

Her mouth was suddenly dry. She took a breath and bit on her bottom lip. Finally, she said, "Hello Severus."

Snape stared at her, speechless.

"Did — did you love me?"

Snape looked down letting his hair fall over his face.

"Severus…?"

"It's not important." Snape snapped without looking up.

"On the contrary, Severus," Dumbledore said. "Answer me, have you asked Voldemort for Lily's life in exchange for her child and James, both precious to Lily and both carrying the blood of the one you harbor much animosity towards to?"

Snape continued to look down in silence. Roughly, Dumbledore made him look at him. Snape focused his attention everywhere else but Dumbledore's eyes.

"Severus. Look into my eyes." Dumbledore commanded. Snap's body shook with the power Dumbledore put into his words. Unwillingly, his head moved and his eyes encountered his old headmaster's. He felt a sharp pain as Dumbledore intruded on his Occlumency shields. He hissed as the headmaster filed through his memories. Once he discovered what he was looking for, he released his hold on Snape. In the eyes of those who didn't know him very well, only Snape's breathing which was only slightly harder than normal and the sweat on his face, marked Dumbledore's intrusion. Lily was the only one, who noticed his clenched jaw and how he had carefully hidden his hands from view.

Recalling how he acted during the times he had met with her to discuss magic after nasty beatings from his father that he couldn't quite hide from her, Lily felt her heart ached at the familiarity to what he was doing now: grinding his teeth, digging his nails into his palms hard enough that it was possible for it to bleed, and wearing that careful blank face revealing nothing of what he was thinking. Lily walked cautiously towards Snape, intent on helping him.

Once by his side however, she hovered near Snape unsure what to do to help him. As children, more often than she liked, he just shook his head and moved away from her attempts of comfort and tried to encourage her to continue playing or talking. The few times he allowed her to touch him in the aftermath of the beating she held his hands and murmured sweet, soothing things. Her old friend was staring boldly at Dumbledore betraying nothing of the pain. Finally, Lily settled a hand tentatively on the space of his arms, just lower than his shoulder, but higher than his elbow.

Lily looked sharply at Dumbledore. "Why did you use Legilimency on him?"

"It was so that he would not lie. Lily, he asked Voldemort to spare you in exchange for the deaths of James and your child." It took a moment for Dumbledore's words to sink in. She looked at her childhood friend, horrified. Her hands clenched, and only the stiffening of his body showed his reaction. She felt her heart twist and convulse at his request and his pain. She turned her head away from Snape, her long red hair making a wall between her and him. Severus, himself was looking pointedly away from her, his eyes shining bright with emotion.

Dumbledore said in a voice full of contempt. "You do not care about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die as long as you have your desire fulfilled?" Lily had never seen Dumbledore look more imposing and every bit as powerful as he was said to be to. The expression on his face seemed so natural, as he looked at Snape with disgust, and Lily narrowed her eyes at him. His expression didn't appear fake at all, was this what Dumbledore really feels?

Snape slowly let his hands relax, leaving them visible at his sides as they hang. For a moment he said nothing, and merely looked at the headmaster. Then, "Hide them, hide them all. Keep them safe."

Lily took a breath, before she asked. "You don't want Voldemort to kill my baby and James, right Severus?"

For a moment, Snape was silent. When he spoke, it was barely audible. "If the Dark Lord had a better past of keeping his promises, I might have thrown myself wholeheartedly into his cause. However, he does not and I know now, what a monster I've been following. Once given the chance, he's more likely to kill you than spare you, no matter my request. Even if for some reason, you agree to join him, sooner or later he would kill you and tell me that he did his best to keep you alive or that you were in the wrong and deserved such a merciful death." Snape gave a laugh which sounded more of a cry. "Besides, I know – knew – you well enough to know that if you were left alive while your child and Potter was gone, you would be a mere shadow of yourself. I do not believe I can bear watching you slowly waste away, while nursing your hate for me. I can barely tolerate myself today. I caused someone to try to murder you and your family and asked that same person for your life while I allow him to murder your baby and…the one you love."

Lily didn't know what to say so she said nothing. The man before her was broken in so many ways that there was barely enough of him that held some resemblance to her Sev. Snape looked at Dumbledore, his face expressionless.

He repeated. "Keep them safe."

"What will you give me in return, Severus?"

Lily gaped at Dumbledore. The Longbottoms also glanced at Dumbledore, before returning their eyes to Snape. Although their eyes were on the Death Eater, it was obvious that they were also listening.

Snape faltered but he said, "Anything."

"Very well," Dumbledore nodded. "I shall do my best to keep them safe, if you agree to deliver information of Voldemort and the Death Eaters' plans. I shall inform you of your other duties at a later date, but I trust that you are currently able to handle this task?"

Snape didn't blink and his answer was instant, "Yes."

"I do hope that you will not confuse your loyalties as you play both sides, Severus." Dumbledore said over his half-moon glasses. After a lingering look, he turned his attention to the Longbottoms. "Frank, Alice, I will also help ensure your safety. It's never a good thing to increase the casualties in war, especially ones who are expecting a child."

Snape didn't react as he watched Frank and Alice lowered their wands, but Lily saw his hands twitched, as though anxious for his wand and the reassurance it brought. A wizards or witch's first wand was like an extension of themselves; it held a special place in their hearts.

The Longbottoms weren't blind to Dumbledore's sudden change in character and to say it didn't startle them would be a lie.

Hesitatingly, Frank replied. "I would appreciate it, Albus. Thank you."

Alice murmured something that was too low for everyone but Frank to hear, however Dumbledore took it to mean that she also appreciated his help. With a wave of his hand, he beckoned Alice and Frank to come closer. The two shared a look, before heading towards the aged headmaster, and all three began to converse in a low volume.

Lily looked at James, who was still under the effect of the full-body bind curse. She stared at him with a hard look in her eyes, Albus's actions not forgotten but temporality not the focus of her attention, before waving her wand. "_Finite_."

As he walked towards his wife, James narrowed his eyes and clenched his wand as Snape met his gaze with a sneer. He opened his mouth but Lily glared at him, halting the words before they came into fruition. James looked as though he had swallowed a vile tasting potion as he closed his mouth, unable to speak against his enemy with his wife watching him with the eyes of a lioness, promising retribution. James settled on glaring at Snape, who returned the favor with as much animosity if not more. Snape knew better than to vocally insult Potter when Lily was thinking about something that wouldn't tolerate childish distractions. He'd seen that glint in her eyes quite a few times, mainly after Potter and he had a particular nasty row, and after she witnessed his public interactions with that muggle who had spawned him.

Seemly to have made up her decision, Lily grabbed one of Severus's arms and half-dragged and half-steered him to the fireplace. She paused just at the side of it, and looked at Snape, "Do you have time for a chat?"

Snape was tired—Dumbledore had used Legilimency on him, he had just made a deal with Dumbledore agreeing to be his spy so he was now playing in both sides of the bloody war, the woman he loves found out that he loved her, and she also found out that he was why the Dark Lord was targeting her baby who wasn't even born yet. Despite his tiredness and desire to rest, Snape found himself nodding to his childhood friend. He might as well learn the full extent of her disgust with him now, than be tortured with the unknown and _maybes_ and_ ifs_.

"After James leaves, I would like it if you are able to, to follow after him. If you can't, then I'll apparate us in Hogsmeade."

When she turned around to get James, she found him staring at here with wide eyes and a slightly _confunded_ face. She placed her hands on her hips, and looked at him pointedly. She saw movement at the corner of her eyes, turned her head and saw Snape's wand floating towards her. She grabbed it from the air and nodded at Dumbledore, who nodded without breaking his conversation with Frank and Alice. Returning her attention to James, she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Come on, James. Let's go home."

"But – but he – Snape's coming too?"

"Yes." Lily snapped. "And, I don't want to find him hurt when I arrive at the manor, so don't even _think_ about using your wand, fists, or Gibbit on him."

James grumbled some more as he grudgingly, complied with his wife's wishes. He took a handful of floo powder from the tin pot on the mantle and threw it into the fireplace. James glared at Snape the entire time as he walked in and said, "Potter Manor."

After a moment of pause after James left, Lily gave Severus's a push towards the fire place. Snape wordlessly mimicked the previous actions, his movement stiff. Once he disappeared, Lily waved at Alice and Frank. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Lily walked out of the fireplace into a slightly old styled but comfortable sitting room, and found herself pulled into an embrace with strong arms holding her. Lily felt her body relax as she recognized that it was James that held her. Lily looked around the room, but didn't see Snape. She looked at James.

"He's in the basement." James answered to her unsaid question. He frowned at her. "Why did you bring him home? He's the reason why we need to protect our child from Voldemort, and he's a Death Eater."

Lily ignored James's question as she headed down towards the basement. James reluctantly followed after her. As she walked down toward the stairs, she thought about her –somewhat rash – decision to bring Severus to her home. Although he was the one who told Voldemort about the prophecy, he had tried to fix his action. However he tried to fix it, because he loved her and had no wish to see her dead. Severus didn't want her child to die, the child was innocent. On the other hand, James…He was only willing to save James, his tormentor of many years, because James was her husband and Severus wanted her to be happy. Her childhood best friend loved her and she had never realized it, until now.

Now that she thought about it, in the past there were plenty of signs of him having a more intimate affection towards her than friendship. During their childhood before Hogwarts, he often had that strange expression on his face when he thought she wasn't looking at him. There were numerous occasions when she said something that caused his face to turn red, and he shredded leaves - if they were in his hands - into tiny pieces.

The witch thought about how he and she first met, their discussions about Hogwarts and magic, and how they shared things they couldn't speak about with anyone else. She recalled how Snape's father and mother always yelled at each other and the rumors that surrounded the family, none of them good. She remembered how he always seemed out of place and the way he reacted to everyone else, but her. Lily could still remember that first day they were both eleven and boarding the train to Hogwarts. How he seemed so excited and happy, even after their first encounter with James and Sirius…until their sorting was over and they were in different houses.

Over the next couple of years, their friendship was questioned, poked at, and scorned, but they kept it strong. Not even the Slytherin bullies made Severus stop talking to her. The one time she asked him if the Slytherins were giving him a hard time like what the Griffindors were doing to her about their friendship, he simply said. "It's good that you aren't in Slytherin."

She had thought they would be friends forever…but then he called her a mudblood and things went downhill from there. Sometimes, she regretted not hearing him out and wished she could have listened to him. Looking at Snape now as he paced the dark stone room, Lily couldn't help but feel that regret come back stronger than ever. Overall things had gone well for her. She found love, studied and extended her knowledge, and was looking forward to holding her child in her arms. While she didn't know the exact details of what happened to Snape after their graduation, she had a hunch that certain aspects of his life were crashing down, leaving him fumbling to pick up the pieces.

Maybe she missed his friendship, maybe she just didn't want him to look as though he knew he was going to die at some point and felt fine with it, or maybe she just wanted to do it. But for whatever reason, when Snape turned his head and looked at her with tired, dark eyes she ran from the last step and hugged him.

Snape's body went rigid at the contact. Lily gave him a good hard squeeze, before stepping away but keeping her hands in his. She heard James stop and didn't have to imagine the look on his face. Lily ignored her husband's discomfort, and looked at Snape, unknowingly giving him the softest expression she made at him in years.

Snape noticed this, focused on something that wasn't Lily. His eyes glanced at James scowling face before moving away, he couldn't help but feel amused. When he finally focused on the wall, he said in a neutral tone, "Why have you brought me to your dungeons? I have no more information of the Dark Lord's plans."

"It's more of a basement really." Lily said. "And I do not believe you about that last bit, but I have something more pressing to talk to you about."

"What do you plan to do to me?

"I say we put him in chains, then—"

"James."

"But we have him in our home! What do you plan to do—"

"James."

James shut his mouth, but he glared at Snape behind his wife's back. Lily focused her attention on Snape, and he couldn't help but wish he was facing Potter instead. She asked. "Do you really want to help me?"

Snape grew silent for a long moment, and Lily began to fear that he wouldn't answer. But Snape softly said, "Yes."

"Evan if that means helping James and the child, he and I made together?"

Snape took a longer moment of silence. His eyes strayed from her, to James, and finally lingered on the small bump in her frame. When he rose his eyes to her, his jaw clenched and Lily felt that tension in his hands hardened as he nodded.

"Will you take an Unbreakable Vow?"

"Tell me what you want." Snape watched her carefully as though she had done something he had never expected. Lily felt a grim satisfaction in that. They both knew that the Unbreakable Vow was not something to take lightly. But, Lily would do anything to protect her child.

"I want you to watch over my child." Lily said.

Snape waited for her to continue, but Lily had a feeling that she surprised him.

Lily smiled, although her eyes were serious. "Sev, I don't like how Dumbledore looked when he had us listen to the prophecy. I can't explain it, but it was as though he couldn't wait for someone to come and fight off Vold…"

She saw Snape flinch at the name and continued, "You-Know-Who. This is just a feeling I have, but if something happens, I need you to stand up for my child. Keep my baby safe from You-Know-Who, even Dumbledore if he needs to be fought against."

"I don't want my child to suffer from Albus's meddling. Sometimes, I can't help but think that Albus should focus on either the war or the children, instead of choosing to do both." Lily looked at Snape, solemnly. "I need you to support my child, no matter what happens. Protect, guide, and watch over my child, keep my baby from being used as a puppet, a weapon by those who want to use her. That is how you can make up for what you have done to me and my family."

"If that is what it will take to earn your forgiveness, I will do that."

"Wait a minute." James looked at his wife. "I don't agree to this."

"James." Lily started.

James shook his head. "Albus is a good man; I don't see how you can entrust Snape the safety of our child over him. Besides there's Sirius, Remus, and Peter as godfathers."

"Sirius could die in battle any day now, seeing how reckless he's been. Remus will never be able to gain custody of our daughter because of the ministry. Peter has never agreed to become a godfather; we haven't even seen him in nearly four months, James. As for Albus, James I don't trust him with our daughter."

Lily sighed. "He's not above using people in order to achieve his idea of a better world. Honestly, James what is Albus's plan for a better world? A world without the 'Dark' Arts, Voldemort, and Death Eaters, but still containing discrimination against non-human magical creatures and people who got turned into a non-human magical creature is not the world I want our child to live in."

James couldn't object to his wife's claims, because some part of him agreed with her. For all the titles and powers Dumbledore had, he'd done very little with it beyond restricting the Dark and encouraging muggle traditions. He wasn't sure about the magical creatures. Some of them held Dumbledore with great respect, while the others were hostile if not neutral to him. But he was raised with Dumbledore being a good wizard; when he was little Dumbledore was his hero.

Seeing James's confliction, Lily pushed ahead. "I could be wrong about him, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone watching him, James. If he's really like whom he is seen as, then if he makes a mistake he should be able to admit it and fix it."

"Fine," James conceded. "But I don't want you to make an unbreakable vow with Snape. It makes an easy way for him to die. If he agrees, but doesn't do it, he dies and he is free from Vold – fine, please stop looking at me like that Lils – You-Know-Who and his merry band of death bringers."

Lily looked at her childhood friend, who had been silent during their whole conversation. Snape looked at her, before looking at James. "What do you suggest Potter?"

"The life-debt between us," James said flatly. "I'll agree about you watching over my kid, but only if the debt causes you to do it."

Snape stared stonily at his childhood enemy, who stared back at him. Both remembered how the life-debt came to be. Snape stared at him coldly and he gave the barest of nods.

As Snape spoke, they felt something pass over them, causing the air to crinkle with power that was both familiar and alien at once. Lily felt her breath quicken, and she mouthed, _magic_. Magic had come to enforce Severus's words. "To seek forgiveness over the fault of my actions, I will protect, guide, and watch over the child of Lily Potter nee Evans and James Potter until it is seen that the child no longer needs me, I swear on my magic, so mote it be."

With a sharp vibration in the air, magic sealed Snape's oath. Magic would bind and hold him to his words, and it will also be the one who will release him from it. As peace and calm slowly returned, Snape raised his eyes to James, and there was a brief flash of malice in them. He lowered his voice. "But don't be mistaken that _I_ have forgiven you, Potter for all that you've done to me."

Before James could speak, Lily said. "Do you mind if we place you as a godfather to our child, Severus?"

"Do what you wish. I have already given my word to help your child." Snape pulled, and Lily let him pull his hands away. "I must be going. I have stayed far too long here."

Lily nodded and led Severus up the stairs with James following after. Snape grabbed a handful of powder from a pot on the fireplace mantel. He paused and turned to face Lily. He steeled himself. "However unfortunate the circumstances are, it was nice to see you again Lily."

"Sev," From Lily's lips, she uttered the name she had not used in a long, long time. Snape forced himself to not flinch as he looked into those emerald eyes that seemed to look into his soul. "Be safe, be cunning, and be sly. Be a true Slytherin, not the misguided and twisted version we have today. Never give in."

Before the floo powder captured him, Snape could hear Potter and Lily arguing over the contents of their will. As he felt the magic take him away, he could feel hollowness in him as he observed how happy his first love was with Potter. Snape smothered his feelings, and forced himself to focus on other matters. She deserved better than him, even if it was Potter that made her happy.


End file.
